By Alfonso T. Ruda
DIPOLOG CITY - As the
Zamboanga City standoff enters on its ninth day, Zamboanga del Norte’s first
district representative Seth Frederick Jalosjos and a Catholic priest urged the
public to pray for the safety of the innocent civilians trapped in the
encounter between the government forces and the members of the Moro National
Liberation Front (MNLF)-Misuari faction.
Rev.
Fr. Edgardo Elumba, cited the damage wrought on human lives by war, stressing
that it is not the solution to any problem, but an open line of communication.
Meanwhile,
Congressman Seth Frederick Jalosjos urged fellow Zanorteans to pray for the
innocent civilians trapped between the two warring factions.
He
urged President Benigno Aquino to declare the Zamboanga City under the state of
calamity, “considering that its economy has been greatly affected,” as business
establishments are closed, houses were burned and many innocent civilians have
died, and thousands of families were forced to leave their houses.
He
also urged the government to review the peace agreement with the MNLF in 1996.
As
firefight goes on, the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) and
other civic and non-government organizations keep providing relief assistance
to the mounting number of evacuees housed at the evacuation center.
DSWD-Zamboanga
del Norte Field Office continues to accept donations for the standoff
victims. Relief assistance maybe coursed
through the DSWD SWADT office or Pantawid Office, along Velasco St., Miputak,
Dipolog City and see Alex Sabal(cp#0928-441-3703) or Jose
Cruz(cp#0915-705-5022) or contact tel. 212-6265. (PIA9)